Ask Yourself Are you a Student or a Learner?
One of the most important pursuits a person can undertake is education. When you have pursued an expanded education, you will find that doors begin to open and you can have a life that is full of possibilities. Education not only teaches you facts and dates but also opens your horizons by honing you talent and skills. It is not enough however to simply go and take classes at the local college, your approach to the entire field of educations is vitally important. Therefore, you need to understand the difference between simply being a student and being learned.
Simply put, there is a huge difference between being a student and being a learner. A student is more concerned or focused on the product of an education. That is, an education becomes the end result. With learning, the process is more organic, unrestricted, and capable of crafting a true individual.
To illustrate this, let's look at a common example of how the average student approaches his/her learning. The student signs up for a course. Takes notes in class. Studies for a test and then passes it. The student receives a grade and, in time, the student will receive a diploma. In short, the student is only concerned with a mechanical process. He/she is simple repeating memorized information in a classroom environment. That will only take a student so far.
A person who is a learner will absorb the information. They will engage in a class to see what they like and what they dislike. They will discover where their strengths and weaknesses are. They will develop an outlook on their potential profession as well as life in general based upon what they experience. In time, they become a fully realized individual thanks to their learning experience.
It is easy to see how being a learner has much more intrinsic value than being a mere student. Nevertheless, society does not seem to see it that way. When you are a good student, you come away with grades and diplomas. These things have some value yet that value will always be inadequate when you consider their limited effect on a person's development.
Student will seemingly cease to be when they leave their educational years behind them. After achieving the certificate, diploma or degree there no need to be a student any longer. When a person is a student, it is like an acting part to a small degree, and not really a personal development.
A learner is never restricted to a particular environment. A learner seeks to expand his/her horizons in any environment. To a learner, an education does not have an end date that has been instituted by a particular environment. That is why it is always better to strike to be a learner as opposed to someone who is always a perpetual student.
There is nothing inherently wrong with being a student. We must all follow the path of the traditional student. The key, however, is to integrate the process of being a student with the ability to be a well reasoned learner. This will yield the greatest results and the highest rewards.
Simply put, there is a huge difference between being a student and being a learner. A student is more concerned or focused on the product of an education. That is, an education becomes the end result. With learning, the process is more organic, unrestricted, and capable of crafting a true individual.
To illustrate this, let's look at a common example of how the average student approaches his/her learning. The student signs up for a course. Takes notes in class. Studies for a test and then passes it. The student receives a grade and, in time, the student will receive a diploma. In short, the student is only concerned with a mechanical process. He/she is simple repeating memorized information in a classroom environment. That will only take a student so far.
A person who is a learner will absorb the information. They will engage in a class to see what they like and what they dislike. They will discover where their strengths and weaknesses are. They will develop an outlook on their potential profession as well as life in general based upon what they experience. In time, they become a fully realized individual thanks to their learning experience.
It is easy to see how being a learner has much more intrinsic value than being a mere student. Nevertheless, society does not seem to see it that way. When you are a good student, you come away with grades and diplomas. These things have some value yet that value will always be inadequate when you consider their limited effect on a person's development.
Student will seemingly cease to be when they leave their educational years behind them. After achieving the certificate, diploma or degree there no need to be a student any longer. When a person is a student, it is like an acting part to a small degree, and not really a personal development.
A learner is never restricted to a particular environment. A learner seeks to expand his/her horizons in any environment. To a learner, an education does not have an end date that has been instituted by a particular environment. That is why it is always better to strike to be a learner as opposed to someone who is always a perpetual student.
There is nothing inherently wrong with being a student. We must all follow the path of the traditional student. The key, however, is to integrate the process of being a student with the ability to be a well reasoned learner. This will yield the greatest results and the highest rewards.
About the Author:
Dave Perry is a business mentor, coach and marketing expert. As a former burned out executive, he has a burning desire to help others find and live a balanced life style. You can visit Dave's Blog at TheBalanceQuest.com